Friday was the best night of Cork boxer Callum Walsh's life so far

The 23-year-old is now 12-0 in his pro career. With every fight, his changes a little bit. 

AND STILL: Callum Walsh celebrates his victory over Przemyslaw Runowski with President of 360 Promotions Tom Loeffler and trainer Freddie Roach. Picture: ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

The young fella from Cobh plastered all over Stateside billboards has come home. Callum Walsh left Cork during Covid and headed for Hall of Famer Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Boxing Gym. This week he came back after a triumphant 3Arena outing to defend his WBC Continental Americas Super Welterweight title.

Walsh is ranked in the WBC and IBF world top 10 currently and boasts a record of 12-0, 10 KOs. Step by step, he has carefully charted an ascent towards stardom. A world title bid is still some way in the distance but last Friday was further proof of progress.

“It was 100 times better than I expected,” he said.

“I couldn’t imagine the crowd’s reaction. I didn’t expect it at all, I don’t think anyone did. I was talking to my friends last night and they said they couldn’t believe how loud it was in there. It was 5,000 people and it sounded like 50,000.” 

The 23-year-old was the main event of a blockbuster card. Tokyo Olympian Emmett Brennan, Dublin heavyweight Thomas Carty and Tipperary’s Shauna O’Keeffe all secured significant wins before him. 

Gareth Dowling made his debut. Craig O’Brien edged out Edward Donovan in a cracker of a Celtic light-middleweight title bout. 16-year-old amateurs Ella Thompson and Abbey Molloy took part in an exhibition curtain-raiser.

“I said this in the buildup,” Walsh explained.

“Every fight on there was there for a reason. A good night, quick. No messing around. Back-to-back good fights. It had the crowd going.

“It was a good card for everyone. Not just for me. There was a pro debut on it. That is a massive opportunity. There were up-and-coming fighters. Amateurs fought on the card. That is why I enjoyed it even more. It wasn’t just me. It was big names in the 3Arena before, but these are up-and-coming fighters who fans can get behind.” 

Back to my roots,
The great island of Cobh. pic.twitter.com/D5HRIOjGf4

— KING CALLUM WALSH (@KINGCALLUMWALSH) September 16, 2024

The southpaw from the Riverstown Boxing Club is likely to enjoy a break now before returning to the ring on St. Patrick’s Day. He headlined a Madison Square Garden card there earlier this year. Cork is still there too. That is a real prospect now. His promoter Tom Loeffler labelled last week a ‘huge investment in Callum Walsh.’ They expect to make a return once he is a pay-per-view fighter selling out big arenas.

Walsh just needs to keep delivering.

“It is definitely bigger than I expected. With every fight, my life changes a small bit. As long as I keep winning, it just gets better and better. I am enjoying every minute. Even tonight I get to go to the Belvelly Castle in Cobh and chill with my family. Things like that, I could never have done that before. This is crazy.

“I don’t have a job. I fight fellas for money. I don’t wake up in the morning having to go to work. I wake up and I train. It is just easier. Fighting is my job now.

“Fighting anywhere in Ireland was massive for me. The fact Dana (White) was able to get it done and we pushed it through, it was probably the best night of my life so far. The way it went, he said we will really bring it home next time. He understands it was a success, we got back to Ireland and the next one is to go to Cork.”